More file for city positions

Melissa Wood, Arkansas County Deputy County Clerk, said incumbent Wade Hobbs and Joe Alexander Jr. have both filed for Ward One, Position One while both Bill Shrum and Pete Morris have both filed for Ward Three, Position One. The Ward Three, Position One alderman is presently Jonathan Reaves.

Multiple races have already appeared for the City of Stuttgart’s aldermen seats as the filing period for municipal positions enters its last week.

Melissa Wood, Arkansas County Deputy County Clerk, said incumbent Wade Hobbs and Joe Alexander Jr. have both filed for Ward One, Position One while both Bill Shrum and Pete Morris have both filed for Ward Three, Position One. The Ward Three, Position One alderman is presently Jonathan Reaves.

Other filings, as of 4 p.m. Monday, are incumbent Johnnie Warren Sr. for the Ward One, Position Two seat; Norma Strabala for Ward Two, Position One; and incumbent Jim Craig for Ward Three, Position Two. The present Ward Two, Position One Alderman, Ruth Ann Trice, has said she will not be refiling.

No one has yet filed for the Ward Two, Position Two seat, presently held by Alderman Donald Stephens. Stephens says he plans to refile for the seat. The filing period opened July 27 and ends at noon Friday.

In Stuttgart, the only available municipal positions are the six city council seats. Each seat is for a two-year term.

To file, a potential candidate must be a qualified elector, an Arkansas and U.S. resident and live within the jurisdiction to be represented at the time of filing and throughout the term. The person must also be a lawfully registered voter and must never have been convicted of embezzlement of public money, bribery, forgery or other infamous crime.

Wood said those appointed to a position may still file for the position they were appointed to. To file, a person must have a 30-signature petition, an affidavit of eligibility and a political practice pledge.

Candidates running for the positions of aldermen must also be at least 18 years of age.